Henry looked at the ambitious Boman and chuckled. "It seems Sir Boman has no desire to remain a mere Knight."
Boman nodded. He had no intention of hiding his ambition. After all, what Knight doesn't dream of becoming a Baron, a Viscount, or even a Count?
'More villages, strong and secure castles, prosperous cities... A lowly Knight has no right to possess such things.'
"Once word gets out that we're petitioning the King as a group, the mercenary companies will come swarming. We of the Border Nobility have to carve out a hefty piece of the pie for ourselves..."
The two Knights with lands neighboring Boman's had both been killed by Half-Beastmen, turning their holdings into unclaimed territory. He had been coveting it for a long time!
Boman extended his right hand, his voice sincere. "We both graduated from the Royal Capital Knight Academy. If we join forces, we can conquer a vast territory for ourselves!"
Henry extended his own hand and said, "Let's join forces."
After Boman left, Henry shook his head. 'At the moment, I have absolutely no intention of partnering with anyone.'
'In a way, I'm wealthier than any of the other nobles forced into exile here!'
'The scholarships from the academy over the past three years, the prize money from arena matches and tournaments, the grant from the King upon my enfeoffment... I could hire several mercenary companies at once and form a thousand-man army to fight for me for three months!'
'Of course, I won't do that. Every coin has to be spent wisely.'
A short while later, Bain came to find Henry. He announced that the room was ready and led Henry back to rest.
"Sir, this room is even better than the academy dorms! What should we have for dinner? I can go out and buy something."
"No need. There's a banquet hosted by the Count tonight."
"Really? Haha, then I'll have to make sure to save room for a feast!"
Bain was thrilled to hear about the banquet and began fantasizing about all the delicacies that might be served, but Henry simply gazed thoughtfully out the window.
As night fell, Henry took Bain to the banquet hall. Now that Henry was an Independent Noble, Bain, as his Knight's Squire, was qualified to attend such minor banquets.
The hall was magnificently lit, filled with people in lavish attire. The sounds of conversation and laughter rose and fell. Tallow candles, a symbol of wealth, flickered constantly, showcasing the Count's opulence to his guests.
Nobles of all ranks, their Attendants, caravan merchants from Odoche, and Workshop owners were all drinking and celebrating together.
With the growth of the southern trade routes and maritime commerce along the west coast, the empire saw an influx of tax revenue and goods, greatly elevating the status of merchants.
As Henry and Bain's gazes fell upon the food, a visual feast unfolded before them.
The exquisite presentation was like a work of art, with colorful ingredients complementing one another and exuding a tempting aroma.
The most eye-catching dish of all was a roast duck, cooked to golden, crispy perfection! Its glistening skin shone with a tempting amber hue, its aroma wafting through the air.
Bain's eyes betrayed his craving for the delicacy; Henry could even hear him audibly gulp over the din of the banquet hall.
Beside it were exquisitely arranged seafood platters. Lobster, crab, and various shellfish were piled neatly, their succulent meat shimmering with a tempting luster under the light.
Now it was Henry's turn to be stunned. 'It's hard to imagine the extent of Count John's wealth. How is this possible?'
'Seafood on the plains? Huh? This place is a considerable distance from the west coast, or the Inner Sea between the southern lands and the desert.'
The tables also held a variety of meticulously crafted desserts, such as chocolate cakes and fruit tarts.
They looked like exquisite works of art, almost too beautiful to eat... Hm? Bain?
The moment Henry's gaze was drawn to these sweet temptations, he saw that Bain was already digging in.
'Oh, for heaven's sake!' Henry really wanted to take his leather boot and give Bain a swift kick in the rear.
Henry pressed a hand to his forehead in exasperation. 'That boy... His time as a beggar left him terrified of going hungry. He completely loses his senses at the sight of good food.'
Henry didn't join in the merrymaking, his gaze remaining fixed on Count John on the stage.
Just then, Count John stepped onto the stage and began to speak.
Count John pointed toward Henry's location and announced loudly, "Everyone, I am hosting tonight's banquet to welcome a newly arrived noble, the lord of Westwood Laine, a Vassal of the King, Sir Henry Bro!"
Henry performed a nobleman's salute to those who turned to look at him, and the others broke into enthusiastic cheers.
"This afternoon, I held a meeting with some of those present. I immediately dispatched riders with letters to the surrounding Counts, Viscounts, and the King's Directly Affiliated Marquises. Just a moment ago, I received replies from most of them."
Henry and the other nobles whose fiefs had been destroyed all looked toward John, a sense of nervousness in their hearts.
"They have all agreed to our proposal! Tomorrow, I will send a rider to the Royal Capital at once to submit our report, so we can get the King to issue an order and push forward the temporary Pioneer Bill as soon as possible!"
Everyone cheered once more, their voices sounding far more sincere than when they had welcomed Henry earlier.
Baron Sura addressed the crowd, "News of the Alien Race's pillaging has likely already reached the King's desk. Our letters as his Vassals requesting reinforcements should be arriving soon as well.
It's very possible that as soon as our joint petition arrives, the King will immediately enact the Pioneer Bill."
The nobles began toasting one another, acting as if the moment the King's army arrived, they would be able to instantly rebuild their fiefs—or even acquire new ones!
A great many of the minor nobles in the area had died, and the Dukes and Directly Affiliated Marquises were forbidden from getting involved! All that masterless land was a juicy steak, ripe for the taking!